Stamp-affixing machine



(No Model.)

' W. R. MILLER.

STAMP AFFIXING'MAGHINEL No. 397,087. Patented Jan 29. 1889;

I! f ll I] IE UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVILLIAM R. MILLER, OF POLO, ASSIGNOR OF TlVO-THIRDS TO FERNANDO SANFORD, OF ENGLEIVOOD, AND J. F. SANFORD, OF DIXON, ILLINOIS.

STAMP-AFFIXING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 397,087, dated January 29, 1889.

Application filed J ly 22, 1887. Serial No. 244,965. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IYILLIAM R. MILLER, a resident of Polo, in the county of Ogle and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stamp-Aliixing Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the iuventitm, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

The accompanying drawings fully illustrate the invention.

Figure l is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is an elevation looking in the direction of the arrow of Fig. 1, partly in section, the parts shown in Fig. a being omitted. Fig. 3 shows the apparatus in plan. Figs. 4c, 5, and 6 illustrate certain parts hereinafter described.

Stamps are fed forward in strips, the envelope is moistened, and at the proper instant the stamp is cut from the strip and pressed upon the envelope by a descending bar.

The frame of the machine consists of a horizontal bed, A, and two vertical standards,

B B, rigidly attached thereto and rigidly connected at the top. Stamps in strips are wound upon either of two rollers, L L, removably mounted in lugs upon the bed A. The end M of the strip is inserted between two rollers, E E, Fig. 1, by which it is carried forward, being guided by a slight depression, Y, Fig. 3, in the bed just over the corner of the envelope to be stamped.

3 5 The envelope is placed upon a plate, N, parallel to and a little below the surface of the bed, whose projecting edges f serve as guides in bringing it exactly into position. A bar, C, slidingln guides upon the frame 13 B, has

at its lower end a knife, F, which, when "the bar descends, passes just outside of the edge of the envelope and parallel theret0,'severing the stamp from the strip. The bar has, further, at its lower end two rectangular horizontal plates, G G, the lower supported from the upper by four screws, which slide freely in the upper plate. Between the plates light coiled springs are placed about each screw and serve to maintain the distance between the plates. The edge of the knife F and the lower surface of the plate G are in the same plane; but when the descending bar O presses the plate upon a stamp and envelope the springs yield and the screws rise with the plate G, while the unyielding knife passes the edge f of the bed and severs the stamp. IV hen the hand which depressed the bar releases the knob D, a spring, Si, returns it to its normal position byacting against an arm, 0, and reacting against a lug, Q, upon the standard B, Fig. 2. The roller Eis mounted in stationary bearings in the bed A, and the roller E is carried in a U-shaped frame, V, Figs. 2, 3, and 5, which slides in the frame B and which is normally pressed downward by 6 5 springs S. The roller-shaft bears upon one end a gear, I, which meshes with a gear, I, driven in turn by the gear I. Both the latter gears are supported upon gudgeons passing outward from the frame V through a slot,

T, Fig. 6, in the standard B. The gudgeon of the shaft 1" bears also a ratchet-wheel, H, which, with all the gears, rises and falls with the frame V. The frame is raised for relieving the stamp-strip from pressure when the machine is not in use by means of a cam, a, and lever K, 5.

The ratchet is actuated by a spring-pawl, J, upon the arm O, and its reverse rotation is prevented byasecond spring-pawl, J','upon the frame B. From inspection of this arrangement it is evident that the upward motion of the bar O by means of the pawl J and ratchet II rotates all the gears and carries the strip forward, and that the distance to which itis so carried should be equal to the width of a stamp, which may come from either roller, two being provided for convenience in using stamps of two denominations "without changin g spools.

For moistening the stamps we provide a roller, \V, Figs. 3 and 4. It projects from the bottom of a cup, R, which is vertically adjustable by means of a sliding side bearing workingin a standard, 1 upon. the edge of the bed. The cup is kept at its lowest point when at' rest by a light spring, S, connecting a lug upon the bed and a lug passing from the cups bearing outward through a slot in the standard 1 I00 lVhen an envelope to be stamped is placed upon the plate N at :r, Fig. 3, and passed backward beneath the plate G, it neeessarily ure from its rotating surface, for the cup is tilled with water or with some absorbent material saturated with water. The roller may have its surface roughened like ground glass, or may be covered with an absorbent sheet cloth, for example.

\Vhatever the thickness of package it is neeessary that the rateheti- J should pass the same number of teeth in its downward motion in order that the roller E shall feed the strip forward to the proper dis tance, and for this reason the plate N is supported on springs 0, which allow the plate to be depressed when necessary by the aetion of the bar (1.

\Vhat I Claim is- In maehines for at'lixine )().si't1} {'(E-Sl2tlll])H to letters, the eomi'iination, with rollers for feeding" a strip of stamps forward, of a vertically moving knife for severingthe stamps, f

and a roller adapted to moisten the proper part of the letter while the latter is ad vancing' into position to receive the severed stamp.

9. In machines l tll':llllXlllg'l)()Hl l2,'(} li21]111W, a reeiprot'eati11g stamp s severing knife, a presser-loot alongside said knife and moving i therewith, and a suitable support for the letter to be stamped, said pres. -foot being;

adapted to yield to the extent of the tftlllllftlllefl l thickness of a letter and stamp while the the letter or 3 knife continues it motion, whereby the stamp maybe sinntltianeously severed and pressed upon the letter.

I). The emnbination, in a maehine for atlixing st'an'ips, of a plane horizontal letter-support, a water-eup mounted above said support, and a n'loistening-rollerlyingin said cup and projecting through an aperture in. the bottom thta'eoti', said cup being; adapted to autoimttieally adjust itself vertically to the thiekness of the letter passed between said roller and said supptjtrt.

l-. The combination of the bed A, frame 13, rollers L L, frame V, sliding in the frame B, roller E, supported by the frame V, cam u, and bar bearing the yieldin plate G, substantially as set forth.

The eon'ibination, with the bed A and frame 1 of the reciprom-ting knife-bar bearingthe pawl .l, ratchet-witeel ll, actuated by said pawl, roller E, actuated by said ratcl'tet-wheel, yielding plate N, and vertically self-adjusting moistening-cup R, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specifieation in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

\VILLIAM R. MILLER.

Witnesses:

D. HowE, (l-1A8. A. l\[ILLER. 

